Our ACS teams around the Division continue to assist their local communities in response to the recent disasters that have occurred in the past few weeks. Allegheny West ACS Director Andrew Mobley, is working alongside the Ohio Conference, Kettering Medical, and other faith-based groups as they serve the residents of tornado-struck Dayton. Kettering Medical has fed over 3,500 meals to those in the affected ares.

The Multi-Agency Warehouse in Jefferson City, Missouri, has been serving the needs of the communities affected by the tornadoes and flooding. The Mid-America Union Conference is seeking additional support from within the Union, and ACS Director Roger Wade is working with his team to offer support. The Lt. Governor visited the Warehouse and thanked them for their dedicated efforts.

The Southwestern Union is also working hard to support a local community in Arkansas that was hit by severe flooding. Our ACS Directors Marshall and Julie Gonzales have made deliveries of food, clothing, and flood buckets to the State, and are aiding Lavida Whitson and her team as they serve those currently housed in shelters. The city of Baton Rouge in Louisiana was also hit by a tornado recently. Marshall is currently monitoring the situation, and is in talks with the State on how we can be of support to them in their Recovery.

Let us remember those who have been affected by these disasters in our prayers.

ACS Disaster Response personnel in the Southwestern Union Conference have been engaged in Recovery Efforts post severe flooding in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. The Arkansas river has hit a record-breaking crest level. Around 500 families and some businesses have been impacted so far, in and around Fort Smith. The greatest concern is that the levees have never been tested to hold so much water and for such a long time.

The Union ACS Director and Associate Director, Marshall and Julie Gonzales, are in correspondence with the Mayor, county officials, and Emergency Management leaders in Arkansas. They were on the scene providing relief supplies like flood buckets and clothing to those in need. They were joined by Lavida Whitson, ARK-LA Conference ACS Director, who also met with local Emergency Management and has requested our help to manage a Distribution site for them. They are working on the logistics of securing a facility that will function as a Distribution site.

The Gonzales’ also met with the Oklahoma ACS Director, Judy Reid, in Muskogee which was heavily impacted by the flooding of the Arkansas river. They sent them cleaning buckets and hygiene kits that can be given out to the affected community. Over 2000 people in the State were displaced. Since the situation is still ongoing, Judy and her team are on standby until the water levels subside.

Delivery of buckets and hygiene kits to Samaritan Center to assist flood survivors.

Delivery of buckets and hygiene kits to Samaritan Center to assist flood survivors.

Another Midwest State affected by tornadoes is Ohio. Currently, our Allegheny West ACS DR Coordinator Andrew Mobley is leading out the Recovery Efforts on the ground in Dayton. He has been in contact with the Ohio VOAD and attends the Conference calls daily. He has been asked to be on standby to manage a Warehouse/and or Distribution Site close to the affected area. Andrew continues to assess the situation with his ACS Director Jerome Hurst.

Additionally, Andrew is investigating to determine if our Emotional & Spiritual Care Providers are needed to supplement those affected. ACS has also reached out to the Good Neighbor House through their Executive Director Tom Oujukka, as a possible resource to the community. He has agreed to lend support to our Efforts, and a plan is currently being formulated. The Kettering Medical has also reached out to us, and they are also being incorporated into the plan as we move forward.

Update - June 5, 2019

A Multi-Agency Warehouse has been set up and is operating from 9am-5pm everyday. The Iowa-Missouri ACS DR Team led by Jodi Dickhaut, is working tirelessly managing the Warehouse in partnership with Capital West Christian Church for the city of Jefferson City. The Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) has served over 400 families in Cole County last week. On Saturday, the MARC moved to the city of Eldon to serve the residents of Miller County. Our Mid-American Union director, Roger Wade arrived on the scene for the weekend and will be working directly with Jodi and his team over the next few days.

Our local DR team was asked to coordinate donation collections at a benefit concert that was held on Monday in Jefferson City. Several donation items were collected for distribution to those affected. The team members also took up collections at the Sheriff’s barbeque the next day. The Mayor of Jefferson City, Carrie Tergin, is coordinating with Jodi on the city’s response to its residents. The United Way organization and the Red Cross of Cole and Miller counties are involved in disseminating information through press releases to the community. Jodi has had the opportunity to be interviewed by the local news outlets and has represented the Seventh-day Adventist church and Adventist Community Services Disaster Response admirably.

Deadly tornadoes have been wreaking havoc on the States in the Midwest. One of the States that was severely hit is Missouri. Three individuals were confirmed dead. Our Iowa-Missouri (IA-MO) Conference ACS director Jodi Dickhaut and his Team are currently on the ground in Jefferson City responding to this disaster.

On Sunday, May 26 a levee was over topped which started flooding in Jefferson City itself, making the response efforts challenging by having additional issues to focus on. Moreover, the National Weather Service report has called for rain exceeding 3+ inches over the next seven days with continued tornado threats. The State Emergency Management is working with the local authorities on coordinating a process on how they can deal with the issue since more than just one jurisdiction is being impacted and they are relatively close to each other.

Tons of clothing and other donation items have started arriving at the shelters in Jefferson City and Eldon. Jodi is working with American Red Cross to find an alternative location to where they will be transferred. Once a suitable facility has been secured, the MO ACSDR will take on this task which would require a significant amount of volunteer support. Our Team on the ground has also been asked to help open a couple of Distribution Centers, along with serving as ambassadors rendering Emotional and Spiritual Care to those that have been affected.

This is one of the most difficult news for me to share. My good friend and mentor, Dr. Bruce Campbell Moyer, passed away on Sabbath morning, May 11, and is resting in God's hands until the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dr. Moyer was a significant part of the NAD ACS ministry, especially with the Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program initiative since 2003. He was also the instructor and advisor for the Urban Mission and Ministry modules. He provided substantial technical support and lectureship for numerous urban mission and ministry symposiums, ACS conventions, and ACS leadership development programs throughout NAD.

Dr. Moyer was not only an intellectual scholar but also a compassionate minister. He served as a teacher, pastor, and administrator. More importantly, he was my mentor for my personal and professional life, and also my spiritual guide on earth.

In March 1991, shortly after my baptism in January, my wife and I decided to pursue pastoral ministry by enrolling in the Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) Theology degree program. It was in my "Christian Church Ministry" class on the first day of school when Dr. Moyer walked into the classroom and said with a commanding voice like that of a soldier, "Who has the NRA sticker on their car?" When I heard the voice and saw the seriousness and imperial look of Dr. Moyer, I thought I was in big trouble and asked myself, "Why is this happening in my life on the first day of school and first encounter with my teacher?" Before I was converted, I was a cadet of the US Air Force ROTC program at the University of Maryland, hence had the NRA sticker on my car. After an agonizing mental struggle, I raised my hand slowly and cautiously; then an unbelievable thing happened. Dr. Moyer walked toward me and stretched out his hand and shook my hand and said, "I like you." WOW - what just happened! I could not understand what was happening. Dr. Moyer had served as a Marine; not ex-Marine, but Marine. He said that, "there is no such thing as a ex-Marine; once you are a Marine, you are always a Marine." He was proud of being a Marine.

Among many, Dr. Moyer taught homiletics, how to write and preach sermons. He infused in our minds that pastors should not preach from the head but from the heart; not transferring information from head to head but connecting heart to heart. He stressed the importance of a preacher's responsibility of the spiritual aspect of life.

As the director for the Center for Global Urban Mission at CUC, Dr. Moyer hired me to work as an assistant. Mentoring under him on urban mission and ministry changed my life and besides God’s will, Dr. Moyer is the reason why I am who I am today. His teachings and love for God and His people influenced me to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am eternally grateful for Dr. Moyer; for his love, friendship, and mentorship. We will miss him but will not forget him. We will meet him again in the new Jerusalem, and I can't wait to say, "Dr. Moyer, I like you, Sir."